Fountain type applicator for ink or the like



Sept. 22, 1959 H. H. RABELOW 2,904,81 1

FOUNTAIN TYPE APPLICATOR FOR INK OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 27, 1955 FIGI.

United States Patent FOUNTAIN TYPE APPLICATOR F012 INK OR THE LIKE Harold H. Rabelow, Marion, IlL, 'assignor to Diagraph- Bradley Industries Inc., Herrin, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December '27, 1955, Serial No. 555,390

2 Claims. (Cl. 15-436) This invention relates to applicators for ink or the like, and more particularly to a fountain type of applicator for stencilling or similar operations. a

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a force-feed type of applicator particularly for applying ink in stencilling operations which enables the use of a relatively thick ink, and which provides for quick priming or saturation of the spreader of the applicator; the provision of an applicator of this class which is of the fountain type and holds its own supply of ink or other liquid; the provision of an applicator of this class in which the supply of ink or other liquid is contained in a collapsible container, and more particularly a squeeze bottle, adapted to be squeezed for force-feeding the ink or other liquid; the provision of an applicator such as described in which the spreader is a brush; the provision of an applicator of the class described having a valve means for controlling the flow of ink and which also allows air to flow into the container to expand the container; the provision of an applicator of the class described which is easy to clean; and the provision of an applicator such as described which is economical to manufacture and reliable in operation. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a fountain brush embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a left end view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of- Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, a fountain brush embodying the invention is shown to comprise a head 1, a bristle tip assembly 3 carried by the head, and a collapsible container 5 constituting a reservoir for ink or the like and forming a handle. The container is detachably connected to the head, provision being made for flow of liquid (ink) from the container to the bristle tip and valve means generally designated 7 being provided for control ling the flow of liquid from the container to the bristle tip.

The bristle tip assembly 3 comprises a threaded metal ferrule 11 receiving the bristles of the assembly, and a center tube 13. The latter projects from the assembly into a central opening in a gasket 15. The ferrule is removably threaded in a socket 17 formed by a counterbore in that end of the head which constitutes its lower end, the gasket 15 being compressed against the shoulder 19 at the inner end of the counterbore 17. The head 1 is preferably cast of corrosion-resistant metal, for exampartition 25 which has a central opening 27. This the conical valve member 29.

tainer of the squeeze bottle type. of polyethylene and has an externally threaded neck 37 removably threaded in the socket 23 with the end of the -the valve member 29 when the bottle is in place.

2,904,811 Patented Sept. 22, 19 59 "ice or 'counterbore 17 and a threaded socket 23 in its upper end (this being its right end as viewed in Fig. 1). The chamber 21 and socket 23 are separated by an integral P tition constitutes a valve seat.

The valve means comprises a conical valve member 29 made of corrosiomresistant metal having a stem 31 extending through the central opening 27 in the partition or valve seat 25. Valve member 29 is located on the side of seat 25 toward the chamber 21, and the stern extends outward through the opening 27. A sheet metal spring retainer member 33 is fixed on the outer end of the valve stem 31 as by riveting. A coil compression spring 35 surrounds the stem 31 between the valve seat 25 and the member 33 and biases the valve member 2.9

to a closed position seating against the seat 25. The opening 27 is larger than the valve stem so that liquid (ink) may flow through the opening when the valve member 29 is opened, i.e., when the valve member 29 and the stem 31 are moved to the left from the closed position shown in Fig. -1. The end of the opening 27 toward the chamber 21 is tapered as indicated at 36 to receive In the taper 36 is a small groove 36a (see Fig. 4).

The container 5 is preferably a one-piece plastic con- It is preferably molded neck tightly engaging the valve seat 25 for sealing purposes. The member 33 on the outer end of the valve stem is sized to fit within the neck of the bottle and to act as a guide to prevent tilting of the valve stem 31 and Member 33 is also formed to allow for flow of liquid (ink) therearound and for flow of air therearound into the bottle. For this purpose, it may be of cruciform shape as shown in Fig. 3. Any other shape is suitable as long as it provides for guiding of the valve stem in the neck of the bottle and for passage of ink and air around the member 33.

Operation is as follows:

For filling the bottle 5 with ink, it is removed from the head 1 by unscrewing it from the socket 23. After it has been filled with ink, it is then screwed back into the socket. Care is taken to insure that the end of the neck seats tightly against the partition or valve seat 25 for sealing against leakage. When the neck of the bottle is screwed into the socket, the guide member 33 enters the neck of the bottle as shown in Fig. 1. By squeezing the bottle 5, pressure is applied to the valve member 29' to cause it to open and to effect force-feed flow of ink from the bottle to the chamber 21 and thence through the central opening in the gasket 15 and through the tube 13 to the brush bristles. The brush bristles are supplied with ink substantially instantaneously upon squeezing the bottle. There is no waiting for gravity flow of ink to the brush. When pressure on the bottle is released, the valve member 29 close-s, but air flows past the valve member back into the bottle through the passage constituted by the groove 36a and the opening 27 and around the guide 33 to restore the bottle to its expanded state. The groove 36a is sufficiently large readily to allow for flow of air but too small to allow any undue leakage of the ink (which is thick) when the valve member 29 is closed.

The brush is especially suitable for the application of heavy viscosity ink because it enables the ink to be pumped out of the bottle and eliminates any necessity for waiting for gravity feed of ink, thereby saving time. By removing the brush tip assembly 3 and the bottle 5, both ends of the valve means are made accessible for easy cleaning.

description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim: a

l. A fountain brush comprising a head, said head having at one end thereof a first threaded socket and a chamber of smaller diameter than said first socket located inward of said first socket, a brush having a threaded ferrule threaded in said first socket, said head having a second threaded socket at its other end, said head having a partition separating said second socket and said chamber, said partition constituting a valve seat and having a central opening, a squeeze bottle constituting a reservoir for ink or the like and also constituting a handle having 'a neck threaded in said second socket with the end of the neck in sealing engagement with said partition, a valve stem extending through said neck and said central opening, said stem being smaller than said central opening, a valve member on the end of said stem within said chamber engageable with said partition to close said central opening, a guide member on the other end of said stern having a sliding fit in said neck, said guide member being formed to allow for passage of ink and air, and a spring reacting from said partition against said guide member biasing the valve member toward engagement with said partition, and said partition having a groove at the central opening therein constituting a passage for flow of air into the bottle when the valve is closed, said 2. A fountain brush comprising a head, said head having at one end thereof a first threaded socket and a chamber of smaller diameter than said first socket located inward of said first socket, a brush having a threaded ferrule threaded in said first socket, said head having a second threaded socket at its other end, said head having a partition member separating said second socket and said chamber, said partition member constituting a valve seat and having a central opening, a squeeze bottle constituting a reservoir for ink or the like and also constituting a handle having a neck threaded in said second socket with the end of the neck in sealing engagement with said partition, a valve stem extending through said neck and said central opening, said stem being smaller than said central opening, a valve member on the end of said stem within said chamber engageable with said partition to close said central opening, a guide element on the other end of said stem having a sliding fit in said neck, said guide element being formed to allow for passage of ink and air, and a spring reacting from said partition member against said guide element biasing the valve member toward engagement with said partition member, one of said members being formed to provide a passage for flow of air into the bottle when the valve is closed, said passage being sufficiently large readily to allow for flow of air but too small to allow undue leakage of ink from the bottle when the valve is closed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,030,440 Waterman June 25, 1912 1,184,662 Semple May 23, 1916 1,719,374 Ihara July 2, 1929 1,865,850 Garvey July 5, 1932 2,672,875 Kovacs Mar. 23, 1954 2,698,452 Osrow Jan. 4, 1955 2,729,505 Harvey Jan. 3, 1956 

